TALLAHASSEE -- Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater's office has subpoenaed the audio and notes from WFSU reporter Lynn Hatter following a radio report on the federal health-care exchanges for the uninsured.

The exchanges are a key component of the much-maligned roll-out of the Affordable Care Act this fall. In some cases, insurance agents are reportedly spreading inaccurate information on the exchanges to attempt to capture business. Hatter had visited an evening meeting put on by private insurance groups attempting to educate the public, but providing "misinformation" at a Tallahassee-area church. Here's her story on the confusing meeting.

According to First Amendment Foundation President Barbara Petersen, Atwater's office first attempted to request the audio and notes through a public records request since WFSU is part of Florida State University. Hatter refused to turn them over.

Patersen said the case is a confusing one because WFSU may be considered a public "agency" under the public records law, but is also a media organization and should be covered by Florida's shield law. She said FAF, a non-profit lobbying organization that represents media organizations including the Sentinel, had asked its general counsel for clarification.

Atwater spokesman Chris Cate said the subpoena had been issued at the request of FSU's lawyers but declined to say whether WFSU was involved in those negotiations.

"In the course of an investigation in which Florida State University was providing assistance, a subpoena for audio was issued at the direct request of the university – in the alternative to a public records request," Cate said in an email. "The university has been very cooperative and their assistance in the investigation has been greatly appreciated."